There have been many efforts to automate an operation of the construction machinery. For example, a device for automatic control of earth-moving machines is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,009,271 issued to Kuehne, et al. The Kuehne patent describes a method in which an analysis of the grading problem is made and recorded. Range and azimuth information and elevational information are generated by a complex opical mechanical system for indicating the depth the earth moving machine should make at a particular point. The Kuehne invention includes an optical signal generator at a fixed geographical point, means for modulating the optical signal to include the information relative to the cut to be made, and means for producing range and azimuth indicating signals which define the relative position of the optical radiating signal device and the earth moving machine.
Clegg in U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,131 discloses a fully automated earth grading machine and system. The Clegg's invention comprises a digital processor, an elevation signal generator for generating a digital signal which is a function of the elevation of the cutting blade of an earth mover relative to an elevation reference point, a position signal generator, a data reference signal generator, a display, and a one or more index symbols. A significant advantage of the invention is the use of the display that allows to observe the earth grading process on the screen. In the preferred embodiment, the Clegg system displayed on the screen the target elevation and the cross slope angle at the position occupied by the grading blade at each point in time and at each location as the grader moves.
Another effort was made in the International Patent having an International Publication Number No. WO 95/19576 and having an International Patent Classification No. G01S 5/14, 5/02, wherein the method and apparatus for positioning construction machinery is disclosed. A construction machine such as a piling rig can be correctly positioned on a work site by providing the machine with a mast having a nominally vertical axis passing through the center of operation of the machine at ground level, providing a satellite navigation system receiver and locating its antenna on the axis at the top of the mast, providing means for determining the displacement of the mast from its nominal vertical position, obtaining output readings from the navigation system receiver, and positioning the machine in response to the output readings.
However, the described above method and apparatus for positioning construction machinery requires the presence of the human operator on the job site. An automatic and remote mode of operation of such system is not disclosed.
On the other hand, the remote operation of the apparatus and the system for positioning of the construction machinery is needed in many practical situations. For example, for operation of the underwater pile driving or rig drilling machinery the remote control is highly desirable.
This need for the remote operation of the apparatus and the system for positioning of the construction machinery is addresses by the present invention.
One aspect of the present invention is directed to a method for remote computer assisted precise pile driving and rig drilling. The method employs: (1) a base station including (a) a base station computer, and (b) a base station software including a job database (JD); (2) a computer assisted precise pile driving and rig drilling (CAPPDARD) system; and (3) a communication link. The CAPPDARD system further includes (1) a moving platform; (2) a location determination means; (3) a piling rig for performing the rig-drilling and the pile-driving operations, wherein the piling rig further includes a mast; (4) a computer attached to the platform; wherein the computer further comprises: (a) a graphical computer map display, (b) a centering computer map display, (c) a verticality tilt display, and (d) a computer memory; and (5) a receiving-transmitting means.
The method comprises the steps of: (1) updating the JD, wherein an updated job database (UJD) is created; (2) transferring the UJD from the base station to the CAPPDARD system using the communication link; (3) reading the UJD by the CAPPDARD system; (4) continuously determining its position locations by the CAPPDARD system; (5) driving new piles to the new piles target positions by the CAPPDARD system according to the UJD; (6) drilling the new rig target positions by the CAPPDARD system according to the UJD; (7) generating by the CAPPDARD system an As-Placed database (APD) of As-Placed coordinates of the new piles and the new rig target positions; and (8) sending the APD back to the base station using the communication link.
In the preferred embodiment the step of updating the JD further includes the steps of: (1) adding the initial coordinates of new piles to the JD; (2) selecting and adding to the JD the coordinates of the new piles target positions and the coordinates of the new rigs target positions; and (3) selecting the configuration parameters for navigation and adding the configuration navigation parameters to the JD.
In one embodiment, the step of adding the initial coordinates of new piles and new rigs to the JD further includes the step of keying in the JD by the operator the initial coordinates of each new pile. In another embodiment, the step of adding the initial coordinates of new piles to the JD further includes the step of loading in the JD a PILE FILE containing the initial coordinates of each new pile. The step of selecting and adding to the JD the coordinates of the new piles target positions and the coordinates of the new rigs target positions further includes the step of generating a TARGET POSITIONS FILE.
In the preferred embodiment, the step of generating the TARGET POSITIONS FILE further includes the steps of: (1) generating the coordinates of each new pile and rig target positions; (2) generating the points that form the target position boundary for each new pile target position and for each rig target position; (3) generating the pile code for each new pile; (4) generating the required depth tolerances for each new pile target position and for each new rig target position; and (5) generating the required tilt tolerances for each the new pile target position and for each the rig target position.
In one embodiment, the step of selecting the configuration parameters for navigation and adding the configuration parameters to the JD further includes the steps of: (1) introducing the parameters including the units of measurements that are used by the CAPPDARD computer display; (2) introducing the parameters that control the calculation by the CAPPDARD computer the coordinates of each new target positions, wherein the coordinates of each new target position are determined by using the location determination means; (3) introducing the tilt tolerances parameters for each new pile target position and for each rig target position; (4) introducing the depth tolerance parameters for each new rig target position; (5) selecting the parameters that control the displayed graphical information on the CAPPDARD computer map display; and (6) selecting the parameters that control the displayed text information on the CAPPDARD computer map display.
The step of continuously determining its position locations by the CAPPDARD system further includes the step of determining its position locations by: (1) an inertial navigation system; or (2) a gyroscope system; or (3) a local magnetic field sensor system; or (4) a Global Positioning System Receiver; or (5) a Global Orbiting Navigational Satellite System Receiver; or (6) a ground-based location determination system including: a Loran system; or a Tacan system; or a Decca system; or an Omega system; or a JTIDS Relnav system; or a PLRS system; or a VOR/DME Receiver.
The step of transferring the updated job database (UJD) from the base station to the CAPPDARD system using the communication link further includes the step of using: (1) a mechanical means for transferring the UJD from the base station to the CAPPDARD system; or (2) a radiowave frequency band; or (3) an infrared frequency band; or (4) a microwave frequency band; or (5) the ISM (industrial scientific medical) unlicensed operation band, wherein the ISM band range is selected from a class of frequency range consisting of 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz, and 5.8 GHz, and wherein the user can own the both ends of the ISM communication system; or (6) a real time circuit switched communication link; or (7) a 1.8 GHz band, wherein the 1.8 GHz band supports the personal communications services (PCS); or (8) a Low Earth Orbiting Satellites (LEOS), wherein the LEOS is used to store and to forward digital packet data; or (9) a communication means, and wherein the communication means is selected from a class of radiowave communication means consisting of a cellular telephone communication means, paging signal receiving means, a wireless messaging services, a wireless application services, a wireless WAN/LAN station, and an Earth-satellite-Earth communication module that uses at least one satellite to relay a radiowave signal; or (10) a communication means, and wherein the communication means includes an Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS) including a modem, and wherein the modem is selected from a class consisting of a DSP (digital signal processor) modem, and a cellular digital packet data (CDPD) modem; or (11) a communication means, wherein the communication means includes a digital cellular telephone communication means, and wherein the digital cellular telephone communication means includes a means of modulation of digital data over a radiolink selected from a class consisting of a time division multiple access (TDMA) system, and a code division multiple access (CDMA) system; or (12) a communication means, wherein the communication means includes a fax wireless communication means.
In one preferred embodiment, the step of driving the new piles to the new piles target positions by the CAPPDARD system according to the UJD further includes the steps of: (1) selecting from the UJD a first new pile to place and a target position for the first new pile; (2) moving the driving rig of the CAPPDARD system to the target position of the first pile using a map display information and a text display information; (3) adjusting the piling rig into the target position; (4) adjusting the verticality of the mast within the predetermined tolerance; (5) placing the first pile into the first target position; (6) generating and recording the As-Placed coordinates of the first placed pile; and (7) repeating the above mentioned steps for each the pile to be placed according to the UJD.
In another preferred embodiment, the CAPPDARD system further includes a depth meter and a tilt meter. In this embodiment, the step of drilling the new rig target positions by the CAPPDARD system according to the UJD further includes the steps of: (1) selecting from the UJD a first new rig target position; (2) moving the piling rig of the CAPPDARD system to the first rig target position using a map display information and a text display information; (3) adjusting the piling rig into the target position; (4) adjusting the verticality of the mast within the predetermined tolerance; (5) drilling the piling rig into the first rig target position; (6) measuring the depth of the first placed pile by the depth meter; (7) measuring the depth of the first rig target position by the depth meter; (8) generating and recording the As-Drilled coordinates of the first rig target position; and (9) repeating the above mentioned steps for all the rig target positions to be drilled according to the UJD.
Yet, in one more embodiment, the step of adjusting the piling rig into the target position further includes the steps of: (1) changing the graphical map display into the centering target display when the piling rig gets closer than a predetermined distance from the target position; and (2) displaying the verticality tilt of the first pile using the verticality tilt display.
Yet, in another embodiment, the CAPPDARD system further includes a tilt meter and a depth meter. The step of adjusting the piling rig into the target position in this embodiment further includes the step of: (1) changing the graphical map display into a centering target display when the piling rig gets closer than a predetermined distance from the target position; (2) measuring the verticality of the first pile graphically by using the tilt meter; (3) measuring the verticality of the piling rig by using the tilt meter; and (4) displaying the measured verticality tilt of the first rig target position using the tilt display.
In the preferred embodiment, the step of generating by the CAPPDARD system an As-Placed database (APD) of the new piles and the new rig target positions further includes the step of recording into one the As-Placed database As-Placed coordinates for each the placed pile and As-Drilled coordinates for each the drilled rig target position.
Another aspect of the present invention is directed to a system for remote computer assisted precise pile driving and rig drilling. In the preferred embodiment, the system further comprises: (1) a computer assisted precise pile driving and rig drilling system (CAPPDARD); (2) a base station; and (3) a communication link connecting the CAPPDARD system and the base station.
In the preferred embodiment, the CAPPDARD system further comprises: (1) a moving platform; wherein the moving platform further includes a piling rig connected to the moving platform, and a mast connected to the piling rig, wherein the mast includes a nominally vertical axis passing through the center of operation of the piling rig at ground level; (2) a location determination means attached to the moving platform; (3) a computer attached to the platform; wherein the computer further comprises: a computer display; a computer memory connected to the computer display; and a computer software loaded into the computer memory; and (4) a communication means connected to the computer.
In one embodiment, the CAPPDARD system further comprises: a tilt meter connected to the moving platform; a depth meter connected to the moving platform; a centering map display connected to the computer; and a verticality tilt display connected to the computer.
In the preferred embodiment, the base station further comprises: (1) a base station computer; (2) a base station communication means connected to the base station computer; and (3) a base station software including an initial job database (JD) and an updated job database (UJD), wherein the base station software is installed into the base station computer.
In one embodiment, the location determination means can be selected from a class of self-contained location determination systems, mounted on the moving platform, consisting of an inertial navigation system, a gyroscope system, and a local magnetic field sensor system.
In another embodiment, the location determination means can be selected from a class of satellite-based location determination systems consisting of a Global Positioning System Receiver and a Global Orbiting Navigational Satellite System Receiver.
Yet, in one more embodiment, the location determination means can be selected from a class of ground-based location determination systems consisting of Loran, Tacan, Decca, Omega, JTIDS Relnav, PLRS, and VOR/DME Receiver.
In different embodiments, the communication link can include: (1) a mechanical means for transferring the UJD from the base station to the CAPPDARD system; (2) a radiowave frequency band; (3) an infrared frequency band; (4) a microwave frequency band; (5) the ISM (industrial scientific medical) unlicensed operation band, wherein the ISM band range is selected from a class of frequency range consisting of 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz, and 5.8 GHz; and wherein the user can own the both ends of the ISM communication system; (6) a real time circuit switched communication link; (7) a 1.8 GHz band, wherein the 1.8 GHz band supports the personal communications services (PCS); (8) a Low Earth Orbiting Satellites (LEOS), wherein the LEOS is used to store and to forward digital packet data; (9) the communication means selected from a class of radiowave communication means consisting of a cellular telephone communication means, paging signal receiving means, a wireless messaging services, a wireless application services, a wireless WAN/LAN station, and an Earth-satellite-Earth communication module that uses at least one satellite to relay a radiowave signal; (10) the communication means including an Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS) including a modem, and wherein the modem is selected from a class consisting of a DSP (digital signal processor) modem, and a cellular digital packet data (CDPD) modem; (11) the communication means including a digital cellular telephone communication means, wherein the digital cellular telephone communication means includes a means of modulation of digital data over a radiolink selected from a class consisting of a time division multiple access (TDMA) system, and a code division multiple access (CDMA) system; and (12) a fax wireless communication means.
In one preferred embodiment, the CAPPDARD system is operated by a human operator.
In another preferred embodiment, the CAPPDARD system further includes a navigational computer attached to the moving platform, and the CAPPDARD system is operated by the navigational computer.